Musical instrument



March 24, 1936. M|NEv|TH MUSICAL INSTRUMENT Filed June 29, 1934 Patented Mar. 24, 1936 2,035,243

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MUSICAL INSTRUMENT Borrah Minevitch, New York, N. Y.

Application June 29, 1934, Serial No. 733,009

19 Claims. (Cl. 84378) This invention relates to musical instruments, tively long life by reason of the ease with which and more particularly to harmonicas or mouth its operating parts can be reached for cleaning organs, the present invention being an improveand adjusting purposes as well as for any other ment upon that disclosed in my copending apnecessary care.

plication Serial No. 684,571, filed August 10, 1933, In accordance with my present invention, I now Patent No. 2,000,408, granted May '7, 1935. form the casing of a pair of cooperable members In said copending application, I have shown which fit around the ends of the harmonica body and described a harmonica of which the casing and which are provided, at their ends, with suitor cover plates are hinged together at one end ably offset portions adapted to be engaged by of the instrument and are so arranged that they a keeper or looking member. The keeper is so 10 may be removed from the harmonica body to arranged as to tightly draw the casing members permit cleaning and adjustment of the reeds. around the harmonica by reason of its vise-like Although a construction of this sort is satisaction, wherefore the casing fits the body in a factory, it is relatively expensive of manufacsnug manner. Of the many forms which my ture since it necessitates a plurality of parts and invention may take, some may be used without 15 a relatively great number of steps in assembling. any screws, bolts, or other secru'ing members,

The primary object of my present invention While others require but a single screw to secure is to provide an improved harmonica casing them in place. When it is considered that prior which will be simple in construction and inexart harmonicas invariably require a be 0f pensive of manufacture. screws or the like to keep the casings in place 20 More specifically, it is an object of my invenand v then l o have Casings which snug y tion to provide an improved and simplified harand accurately fit the y at all es a d monica casing which can be readily r d which are easily removable from the body, the from the harmonica body with great facility to advantages of my invention will be further appermit access to the reeds and others parts p 25 thereof for cleaning and djustment, purposes, The novel features that I consider characand which can be readily attached to the harte istic of my invention are set forth W t p monica body with equal facilit ticularity in the appended claims. However, the

Another object of m i ti is t provide invention itself, together with additional objects an improved harmonica, of th t t forth and advantages thereof, will best be understood 30 of which th casing will b comprised of from the following description of several emminimum number of parts i t t ith a bodiments thereof when taken in connection with sturdy construction. the accompanying drawing in which Still another object of my invention is to pro- Figure 1 is an end elevation of one f rm f my vide an improved harmonica casing which, alinvention, 35 though greatly simplified in construction, will, u e 2 S a Sectional View on the line IIII nevertheless, snugly and accurately fit the harof Figure monica body and give to the instrument the Figure 3 is a fragmentary eXploded P p finished and pleasing appearance of a high grade tive of the Same form of my invention, instrument. Figure 4 is an end elevation of another form 40 A further object of my invention is to pro- Of my invention, and vide an improved harmonica which will be char- Figure 5 is a fragme y p o p p acterized by the absence of any rough or sharp tive of the form Of my invention Shown in edges and which will present to the mouth of We the player a smooth, continuous mouthpiece. Referring more in detail o e drawing, 45

st ll further object of my invention is t wherein similar reference numerals indicate corprovide an improved harmonica wherein the responding parts t u u there is Shown, in mouthpiece and casing are so inter-related as Figures 2 and a harmonica- Y oundto provide a tight joint therebetween so that g board I provided With the usual air p leakage of air at this point, a disadvantage of a es Z a d to W ic a attached the reed D- 50 many prior art harmonicas, will be practically p r n plates 3 in ny i l manner. A eliminated. mouthpiece 4 having a plurality of openings 5 It is another object of my invention to protherein which register with the air passages 2 vide an improved harmonica which will be highis attached to the body I by means of screws or 1y efficient in use and which will have a relaequivalent devices 6 and is provided with a 55 downwardly extending tab I at each end and with downwardly turned marginal edge portions 8 for a purpose hereinafter described.

The body I is encased within a pair of casing members or plates 9 which diverge from the mouthpiece 9 toward the base of the harmonica, being spaced from the body I by the spacing members IE! to provide air passages I I through which air may be either blown or drawn as the instrument is played. The upper longitudinal edge of each casing member is turned inwardly, as at I2, to fit under the adjacent downwardlyturned marginal portion 8 of the mouthpiece, while the lower longitudinal edges I3 of the casing members are turned inwardly for the reception of tone modifiers of the type and in the manner fully disclosed in my aforesaid copending application but which are immaterial to the present invention.

Each end portion I l of both casing members is bent "substantially at right angles to the intermediate portion thereof to extend around the ends of the body I, adjacent end portions lying in substantially contiguous, or side-by-side, relation. The end portions are cut away at I5 to accommodate the tabs 1 and are formed with offset portions of any desired configuration to be engaged by a suitable keeper member for interconnecting the casing members 9 to the body I. In the specific embodiment illustrated in Figures 1, 2 and 3, the offset portions are constituted by inwardly pressed grooves I6 and IT, one in each of twoadjacent end portions I4, the two grooves I6 and I! being complemental to each other to form the desired configuration and being shown arcuate in this specific embodiment to form substantially an oval. The keeper member is shown at I8 and is constituted by a substantially oval-shaped plate having a peripheral flange I9 of substantially the same contour and dimensions as the combined grooves I6, I! and an aperture 20 for the reception of a screw 2I by means of which the keeper I8 may be releasably secured to the body I in operative relation to the casing members 9.

In assembling the casing members 9 and the body I, the longitudinal edges I2 of the casing members are first inserted under the downwardly turned edges 8 of the mouthpiece 4 and the end portions I 4 are then slipped over the ends of the body I, the two casing members being pressed into close interfltting relation with the mouthpiece. Since the edges I2 fit closely under and against the edges 8 and the tab-s I are snugly accommodated by the cut-out portions I5, a tight joint all around is insured between the mouthpiece 4 and the casing members 9, and leakage of air is thus reduced to a minimum. At the same time, the rounded, closelyinterfitting edges 8 and I2 present a smooth lip engaging surface to the players mouth.

If desired, the end portions I4 may be so formed that the distance between the two end portions of any one casing member will initially be slightly less than the length of the body I. This will permit a frictional fit of the casing members 9 on the body I and will further insure a snug fit between the casing members, the body, and the mouthpiece. In any event, after the casing members have been mounted in place on the body in the manner set forth above, the keepers-I8 are applied thereto, one at each end of the harmonica, with the flange I 9 of each keeper extending into the slots I6, I! whereupon the respective screws 2I are advanced through the openings 29 into the body I and the assembling operation is completed. To remove the casing members from the body, it is merely necessary to remove the screws 2| at each end of the harmonica, whereupon the keepers I8 are freed from the grooves I9, IE, and the casing members 9 may then be pried loose from the body I in a quick and facile manner.

In the modification of my invention shown in Figures 4 and 5, the casing members are formed similarly to those described above, except that the end portions I4 thereof are offset by having the extreme ends 30 thereof reversely bent on themselves in an outward direction so that contiguous or adjacent ends 39 extend away in opposite directions from each other and in slightly spaced relation to their respective end portions The ends 39 are also so formed that they diverge from each other, being preferably closest together adjacent the mouthpiece tabs I and widest apart at the base of the harmonica for a purpose presently to be set forth.

A keeper member 3I provided with inwardlydirected, reversely-bent edge portions 32 serves to releasably lock the casing members 9 of Figures 4 and 5 to the body I of the harmonica by engagement of the inwardly-directed edges 32 thereof with the outwardly-directed ends 39 of the casing members. The keeper member 3| is wedge-shaped and of slightly smaller transverse dimensions than the distance between corresponding parts of the ends 30, although generally similar thereto in configuration in that the edges 32 have the same diverging angular relation as the ends 39. Thus, as the keeper 3| is slid over the ends 39, it draws the casing members 9 tightly together and snugly around the body I. Preferably, the keeper Si is made of resilient metal and a locking lug 33, provided with a depressed button 34, is struck out therefrom so that the button 34 may engage a depression 35 in the body I for releasably securing the keeper to the body in a positive manner.

To assemble the last described modification of my invention, the casing members 9 are first applied to the body i in the same manner as described above in connection with Figures 1 to 3. The keepers 3I, one at each end of the harmonica, are then slid over the ends 39 until the button 34 engages the respective depressions 35, whereupon the assembling operation is completed. By merely sliding the keepers 3| off at each end, the casing plates are released from locked relation with the body and may be easily removed to obtain access to the inner parts of the instrument. As noted heretofore, the edges ,39 are preferably closest together adjacent the tabs 1 so that there will be no danger of the keepers 3| sliding oif under the influence of gravity should they become loose for any reason, as would be the case if the edges 39 were closest together at the base of the harmonica. Accordingly, a close fit of the casing members 9 on the body I is always assured.

Although I have shown and described several embodiments of my invention, it will be apparent that many other modifications thereof are possible. I desire, therefore, that my invention shall not be limited except insofar as is necessitated by the prior art and by the spirit of the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a harmonica, a body, a pair of casing members encasing said body, and means exterior of the body interconnecting said casing members for releasably locking said members to said body.

2. In a harmonica, a body, a pair of casing members encasing said body, and means exterior of said body and separable from said casing members interconnecting said members for releasably locking said members to said body.

3. In a harmonica, a body, a pair of easing members encasing said body, the end portions of said casing members extending around the ends of said body into substantially contiguous relation and being provided with offset portions, and means engaging said offset portions and interconnecting said casing members for releasably locking said members to said body.

4. In a harmonica, a body, a pair of casing members encasing said body, the end portions of said casing members extending around the ends of said body into substantially contiguous relation and being provided with grooves, and means engaging said grooves and interconnecting said casing members for releasably locking said members to said body.

5. In a harmonica, a body, a pair of easing members encasing said body, the end portions of said casing members extending around the ends of said body into substantially contiguous relation and being provided with offset portions, means engaging said offset portions for releasably locking said members to said body, and means for releasably securing said locking means to said body in operative relation to said casing members.

6. In a harmonica, a body, a pair of easing members encasing said body, the end portions of said casing members extending around the ends of said body into substantially contiguous relation and being provided with offset portions, means engaging said offset portions and interconnecting said casing members for releasably locking said members to said body, and means independent of said locking means for releasably securing said locking means to said body in operative relation to said casing members.

'7. In a harmonica, a body, a pair of casing members encasing said body, the end portions of said casing members extending around the ends of said body into substantially contiguous relation and being provided with offset portions, means engaging said offset portions and interconnecting said casing members for releasably locking said members to said body, and means integral with said locking means for releasably securing said locking means to said body in operative relation to said casing members.

8. In a harmonica, a body, a pair of casing members encasing said body, the end portions of said casing members extending around the ends of said body into substantially contiguous relation and being provided with grooves of predetermined configuration, and means of like configuration fitted within said grooves and interconnecting said casing members for releasably locking said members to said body.

9. In a harmonica, a body, a pair of easing members encasing said body, the end portions of said casing members extending around the ends of said body into substantially contiguous relation and being provided with grooves of predetermined configuration, a keeper member having a flange of like configuration fitted within said grooves and interconnecting said casing members for releasably locking said members to said body, and means for releasably securing said keeper member to said body in operative relation to said casing members.

10. The invention set forth in claim 9 characterized in that the grooves in each of the adjacent casing member end portions constitute complementary parts of said predetermined configuration, and characterized further in that said keeper member has the same configuration and the flange thereon is formed along the periphery thereof.

11. The invention set forth in claim 9 characterized in that the grooves in each of the adjacent casing member end portions constitute complementary parts of substantially an oval, and characterized further in that said keeper member is substantially oval-shaped and the flange thereon is formed along the periphery thereof.

12. In a harmonica, a body, a pair of casing members encasing said body, the end portions of said casing members extending around the ends of said body into substantially contiguous relation, the extreme ends of said casing members being reversely bent on themselves in opposite directions and in spaced relation to said end portions, and means interconnecting adjacent reversely bent ends for releasably locking said casing members to said body.

13. In a harmonica, a body, a pair of casing members encasing said body, the end portions of said casing members extending around the ends of said body into substantially contiguous relation, the extreme ends of said casing members being reversely bent on themselves in opposite directions and in spaced relation to said end portions, means interconnecting adjacent reversely bent ends for releasably locking said casing members to said body, and means for releasably securing said interconnecting means to said body in operative relation to said casing members.

14. In a harmonica, a body, a pair of casing members encasing said body, the end portions of said casing members extending around the ends of said body into substantially contiguous relation, the extreme ends of said casing members being reversely bent on themselves in opposite directions and in spaced relation to said end portions, means interconnecting adjacent reversely bent ends for releasably locking said casing members to said body, and means integral with said interconnecting means for releasably securing said interconnecting means to said body in operative relation to said casing members.

15. In a harmonica, a body having a depression therein, a pair of casing members encasing said body, the end portions of said casing members extending around the ends of said body into substantially contiguous relation, the extreme ends of said casing members being reversely bent on themselves in opposite directions and in spaced relation to said end portions, means interconnecting adjacent reversely bent ends for releasably locking said casing members to said body, and means struck out from said interconnecting means and engaging said depression for releasably securing said interconnecting means to said body in operative relation to said casing members.

16. In a harmonica, a body, a pair of casing members encasing said body, the end portions of said casing members extending around the ends of said body into substantially contiguous relation, the extreme ends of said casing members being reversely and outwardly bent on themselves in opposite directions and in spaced relation to said end portions, and a slidable keeper" member having inwardly-directed, reversely-bent edge portions cooperatively engaging said reversely-bent ends of adjacent casing member end portions for releasably locking said casing members to said body.

17. The invention set forth in claim 16 characterized in that adjacent reversely-bent casing member ends. diverge from each other in a direction transverse to the casing members, and characterized further in that said keeper member has a correspondingly diverging, wedgeshape, longitudinal configuration whereby, when said keeper member is slid over said reverselybent ends into operative position, the keeper member draws said casing members snugly around said body.

18. The invention set forth in claim 16 characterized in that adjacent reversely-bent casing member ends diverge from each other from the mouthpiece of the harmonica towardthe base of the body thereof, and characterized further in that said keeper member has a correspondingly and having their end portions extending around the ends of said body, and means exterior of said body and separable from said casing members for. maintaining said casing members snugly around said body and in close interfitting relation with said mouthpiece.

BORRAH MIN EVITCH. 

